This invention relates generally to optical disc manufacturing and more particularly, to the handling of optical discs.
The manufacturing process for many optical discs includes a process of printing a label on one side of the disc, inspecting that printing process for errors and thereafter, sorting the discs on the basis of the inspection process. In known processes, the printing of the label is performed on one machine, and the discs are then transferred to a second machine for inspection and sorting. The inspection process normally reads the bar code at the center of the disc that identifies the content of the disc, and that identification is compared with data from the printer identifying the label printed on the disc. If the bar code conforms with the printed label identifier, the disc is good; however, if there is a discrepancy between the bar code and the label identifier, the disc is rejected. The inspection process also performs a visual inspection of the label with a video camera to check the quality of the printed label. The disc is either accepted or rejected on the basis of the visual quality inspection of the label. The discs are then sorted and stacked on spindles on the basis of whether they are good, have failed the bar code inspection or have failed the visual inspection.
While that process is effective, the apparatus for carrying out the inspection and sorting process is relatively large and consumes significant manufacturing floor space. Further, some printers have the capability of simultaneously printing different labels on two discs at once; and therefore, two inspection and sorting processes must be carried out simultaneously by two inspection and sorting machines located next to the printer. Again, having two inspection and sorting machines next to a printing station requires even more manufacturing floor area and severely limits access to equipment around the printer as well as the printer itself.
Recent developments now permit the bar code and visual inspection processes to be conducted on the printer itself; and therefore, there is a need for a disc sorting and handling machine that can accept and sort discs from the printer on the basis of the inspection processes.
The present invention provides an optical disc sorting apparatus that is a substantial improvement over prior devices. The optical disc sorting apparatus of the present invention is fast, relatively small, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and reliable in operation. Thus, the disc sorting apparatus of the present invention consumes substantially less manufacturing floor space than prior devices and has the advantage of making manufacturing floor space more accessible and available for other uses.
According to the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiment, a sorting apparatus for sorting and receiving optical discs, as a function of different quality control codes associated with respective optical discs, includes a base and a motor mounted to the base and having an output shaft. A turntable has a plurality of vertically oriented fixed spindles attached thereto, and the turntable is connected to, and rotates with, the output shaft of the motor. Each of the spindles has a diameter less than a diameter of a centerhole in the optical discs. A control is responsive to the quality control codes and operates the motor to rotate the turntable and move a spindle to a loading position for receiving an optical disc. The control selects the spindle to receive the optical disc so that only discs having a common quality control code are received by the spindle. Thus, the invention has the advantage of quickly and easily sorting the optical discs as they are received by the sorting apparatus in accordance with the quality control codes assigned to the optical discs.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of sorting optical discs onto spindles of a sorting apparatus as a function of different quality control codes associated with each of the respective optical discs. The method first identifies a quality control code for an optical disc to be transferred to the sorting apparatus. Next, a spindle associated with the state of the quality control code of the optical disc is moved to a loading position, and the optical disc is received on the spindle at the loading position. The above method of identifying, providing and receiving is iterated for other discs, whereby only discs having a common quality control code are received on a spindle thereby sorting and stacking the optical discs onto the spindles as a function of the different quality control codes.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.